The present invention relates to the type of solar power plant in which solar energy vaporizes water to provide usable heat energy and also produces distilled water when the vapor is subsequently condensed. A primary concern is the maximum extraction of energy, using a relatively simple and inexpensive system.
The use of solar energy to vaporize salt water has been suggested as a desalinization method. This possibility is suggested in these U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,636,129 Agnew, 3,338,797 Hermansen et al, and 4,244,189 Bliamptis.
The need to which the present invention is primarily addressed is the use of such a system to provide maximum power extraction at minimum cost.